Receptacle filler



Nov., 1, 1949 H. c. HAFFNER RECEPTACLE FILLER Filed March 20, 1946 Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECEPTACLE FILLER Hugo C. Haffner, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 20, 1946, Serial No. 655,849

4 Claims.

This invention relates to receptacle fillers and more particularly to fillers `for dividing bottle receptacles, such as, beer cases, into compartments or cells for the bottles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved bottle case filler whose parts will remain in properly arranged and locked relation during the loading or unloading of the case and when the ller is removed from the case and then placed in reversed position therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle case filler whose parts may be readily assembled, will remain securely interlocked during the handling of the case or iiller, and which may be readily replaced when damaged.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle case filler which may be properly tted in cases having varying interior dimensions.

Other objects of the invention as well as the novel features of construction thereof, will become apparent after a perusal of the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a beer case provided with a ller made in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmental, perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of two of the strips employed in the iiller; Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of one of the longitudinal strips or walls of the ller, and Fig. 4 is a similar View of one of the transverse partitions of the ller.

In the drawings, the reference numeral It] designates the two longitudinal strips or walls of the filler, while the reference numeral II designates the transverse partitions, which together with the longitudinal strips I0 form a plurality of bottle cells or compartments when the filler is positioned in the beer case I2 (note Fig. l). The strips I0 and Il may be made of cardboard or any other suitable material. Preferably a cardboard material about one-sixteenth of an inch thick and impregnated or coated with a material which renders the cardboard waterproof is best suited for the purposes of the invention. Referring now to Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the two longitudinal strips I9, each have a plurality of parallel slots I3, one for each of the three transverse partitions II and which extend inwardly from one edge ofthe strip a distance equal to at least one-half the width of the strips II. In alignment with each of the slots I3, are a plurality of apertures I4, I5 and I6 which are spaced from the inner end of the slot I3 and from each other, the end or outer aperture IB being also spaced from the other longitudinal edge of the strip Ill. It will be noted from Fig. 3 of the drawings, that the apertures I4, I5 and I6 are rectangular in shape and are substantially greater in width than the width of their associated slot I3 in order to facilitate the assembly of the parts as will hereinafter become more clear.

The three transverse partitionsv I I each have a pair of closed apertures I'I which extend from substantially the centre line oi such partition toward an edge thereof, a distance greater than one-third the width of partition I I (note Fig. 4). Intermediate each aperture I1 and such side edge of the partition II is a circularly-shaped aperture I8. The material of the partition intermediate the aperture II and the aperture I8 is cut by a slit I9 and the material of the partition intermediate the aperture I8 and the said side edge of the partition is cut by a slit 2D, the slits I9 and 2D being in alignment. As can be seen more clearly from Fig. 4 of the drawings, the apertures I'I are irregular in form, each having one side formed by two straight walls 2l and 22 which are angularly disposed to each other so as to form an obtuse angle therebetween. Opposed to the wall 2l of each aperture I1 is a rectangular projection or locking tongue 23 which extends from a straight side wall 24 towards such wall 2 I.

l The wall 24 is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal centre line of the partition II and extends outwardly beyond the wall 2I into the region of the wall 22. Formed at the outer end of wall 24 is a triangularly-shaped tongue 25 having an inner edge disposed at right angles to the side wall 24 and an outer edge which extends outwardly at an acute angle to wall 22 and across the lower end of wall 24 beneath the latter to merge into a curved wall 26 which connects the same with the lower end of the side wall 22. The slit I9 joins aperture I1 at approximately the juncture of walls 22 and 26.

In assembling the strips IU and partitions II, the partitions I I are held at an acute angle with respect to the strips I0 and while so disposed,

the partitions I I are slid into the slots I3 with the tongues 23 and 25 moving over the aligned apertures until the tongue 23 is over the aperture Ii, the hooked end of tongue 25 is over the aperture I5 and the side walls of the slit I9 are in the region of the aperture I6. The partition II is then turned to lbring it into perpendicular position with relation to the strip I and so that tongue 23 will enter aperture I4, the hooked end of tongue 23 will enter aperture I5 and the side walls of slit I9 will come into abutting relation through aperture I6. It will fbe noted that the apertures I4, I and I6 are made sufciently wide to permit this operation. Inasmuch as the side walls of slit are normally in substantial engagement, this operation through the insertion of the material of strips I0 therebetween, will cause the side edges of slit 2li to become deformed in the manner indicated by the numeral 21 in Fig. 2 of the drawings and the spread deformed edges of such slit will engage in jammingrelation with the opposite faces of the portion of strip l0 beyond the aperture I6. As a result of this construction, the partitions II will be maintained in proper perpendicular relation with the strips Ill and such partitions will be prevented from assuming during usage a position other than the perpendicular relationship with strip I0. It will be noted also from Fig. 2 of the drawings that the interlocking of tongues 23 and 25 and the side walls of the partition Il dei-"med by the slit I9 with the apertures i4, I5 and I 6, is such that the assembled ller may be positioned in the case I2 with the interlocked portions thereof in the upper position, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, or with such interlocked portions in reversed or lower position without any danger of the partitions falling off or separating from the strips I0 during usage. This interlocking action also enables the ller to 'be readily reversed in the case without any trouble and without danger of lbecoming disassembled, and whether in one position or the other, enables the filler to be readily removed from or placed in the leasing during the washing and loading operations at the plant. When the ller is once properly positioned in the case, the deformed portions 2l will maintain the transverse sections in proper relation with respect to the strips ID, lthus minimizing any danger of lbreakage of the bottles during the loading operation. This is of especial importance in the loading of beer bottles when explosions not infrequently occur, because the lled lbottles are not set in the casing properly, due to an imperfection of the ller. It is also ,of importance in the unloading of the bottles in the case prior to the washing operation, because, unless the ller parts are properly aligned, the worker when removing the lbottles from the case may also remove the entire ller or a portion thereof with them. As these unloading operations are carried out with great rapidity, time cannot be taken out at this stage of the process for replacement and the llers or parts thus removed are usually thrown aside and wasted. As a brewery usually handles many thousands of cases a day, this loss over a years time, is quite substantial.

It will fbe noted also from Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, that the strips I0 are provided at their ends with a row of triangularly-shaped projections 28 which form serrated end edges. The strips I!) are preferably made so that their overalllength from the apexes of the triangular projection 28 at each end thereof is approximately the same as the longest interior longitudinal dimension which may be encountered in a case. If a case has smaller longitudinal dimensions, the apexes of the triangular projections 28 can be readily deformed in placing the filler therein to make it fit, as is indicated by the numeral 29 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This deformation of the projections 28 has the added advantage that the strips II) so deformed, will be snugly and securely fitted between the end walls of the case and cannot Abe readily dislodged from their proper position during usage.

What is claimed` is:

1. A receptacle ller comprising two series of crossing strips, the strips of the rst series each having a plurality of straight slots extending inwardly from one edge thereof and having three spaced apertures in alignment with each of said slots and spaced from the closed inner ends of such slots, the strips of the second series each having a plurality of elongated, irregularlyshaped apertures spaced from an edge thereof and extending in longitudinally spaced relation substantially perpendicularly to such edge, and having intermediate each of such elongated apertures and such edge a second aperture, a pair of locking tongues having square inner shoulders provided on one wall of each of said elongated apertures and adapted to interlock with two of said slot aligned apertures, a slit extending from each second aperture to the outer end of its associated elongated aperture and providing opposed tongues adapted to interlock with the third oi said slot aligned apertures, and a slit extending from each second aperture to the adjacent edge of the strip.

2. A receptacle ller comprising two series of crossing strip-s, the strips of the rst series each having a plurality of straight slots extending L inwardly from an edge thereof and having a plurality of spaced apertures in alignment with each of said slots and spaced from the closed inner ends of such slots, the strips of the second series each having a plurality of elongated, irregularly shaped apertures spaced from an edge thereof and extending in longitudinally spaced relation substantially perpendicularly to such edge, and having intermediate each of such elongated apertures and such edge a second aperture, a locking tongue having a square inner -shoulder provided on one wall of each of said elongated apertures and adapted to interlock with one of said slot aligned apertures, a slit extending from each second aperture to the outer end of its .A associated elongated aperture and having side walls adapted to interlock with another of said slot aligned apertures, and a slit extending from each second aperture to the adjacent edge of the strip.

3. A receptacle filler suich as defined in claim 2 in which the space between the walls of said lastmentioned slit is less than the thickness of the strips of the first series and such walls are adapted to engage opposed face portions of the latter with a clamping action.

4. A receptacle iiller comprising two series of crossing cardboard strips, the strips of one series each having a plurality .of vertically disposed slots and aligned apertures, the strips of the other series having vertically disposed slits and tongues adapted to interlock with said apertures, the strips of one of said series each being constituted of a straight sheet of material free of fold lines throughout its entire area and rhaving an overall longitudinal dimension approximately the same UNITED STATES PATENTS Number walls spaced a distance less than the overall 10 Number longitudinal dimension of such sheets.

HUGO C. HAFFNER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 le of this patent:

Name Date Smiley Oct. 6, 1914 Weis May 25, 1915 Bussey July 13, 1915 Sherman Oct. 2, 1934 Plautz Mar. 26, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date France May 9, 1932 

